Ex-Finance Minister Rishi Sunak has officially declared himself a candidate for Conservative Party leadership, and thus for the British Prime Ministership. He did so in a message on Twitter.
Earlier, the BBC and the Sunday Times reported that former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak, potential rivals in the Downing Street race, had met on Saturday night. There was no deal.
“The UK is a great country, but we are facing a major economic crisis. That is why I am running for Conservative Party leadership and as our next Prime Minister. I want to restore the economy, unite our party, and deliver for our country,” Sunak said on Twitter.
On Friday evening, it was announced that Sunak had been the first to gain the necessary support from at least 100 Conservative MPs as a potential candidate for party leadership after the resignation of Prime Minister Liz Truss. This morning, according to the BBC, the counter stood at 129, well above the 100 required to participate in the leadership election. He then had to wait for his official candidacy, which has now happened.
Penny Mordaunt previously applied as a candidate, but she has not yet gathered the necessary 100 statements of support from Conservative MPs, British media say. Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson is also expected to run for leadership.
If only one candidate has the necessary hundred statements of support on Monday afternoon, that candidate automatically becomes the new party leader and thus also prime minister of Great Britain.
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